131-133-135 Fifth Street

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Evaluation:

This is a contributing Fifth Street building within the historic district. This is a later date (1953) broad single-story store building that replaced belatedly removed frame store buildings and also reflected more modern commercial designs. The angled wood covering atop its signage area was discounted because it is more of a slip screen and the original brickwork survives behind it.

District Characteristic	Yes	No	Findings/Recommendations
Two-story brick with narrow mass		X
Larger, broader massing	X
Other key façade features		X
Architectural style		X
Prominent location		X	It is prominent due to its width and propinquity to other key and larger buildings in the north half of the block.
Original façade materials		X
Upper fenestration pattern		X
Sympathetic Storefront Infill		X	It retains its original angled bays and fenestration.
Brick corbelled parapet		X
Cornice/coping (not metal)		X

Physical Description:

This is a single-story brick triple storefront building. The special feature of this façade is the angled pattern of each storefront segment, each of which ends with a single door opening. This typical ‘50s treatment is repeated in one other district building (233-35 Fifth). The core measures 75 feet by 120 feet and a north end garage wing extends an additional 22 feet. There is an original wood garage door in that wing. A broad flat canopy covers the entire frontage and a “boomtown” low level wood sign base extends above the actual parapet cap along the entire front.

Documented Alterations:

The new building had no canopy and no raised wood parapet-simply a brick front with three separate structural glass transoms centered on each storefront. Permits note electrical work in 1971, 1982 and heating and electricity in 1987.

Commercial History:

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
131 Fifth Street
The Vinyl Studio			current
The Berry Patch Craft Mall		1996	2004

Photography by Bruce		1990	1995	131-135 Fifth
133 Fifth Street
Quill & Nib			current
A Work of Art		1993	1995
Marlow Tae Kwon Do			1995
			1993	For lease as 133, 3,600 sq. ft.
Say It On Fifth	Pat and Paula Hart, Bill and Sheila Curow	1987	1991	Sweatshirt, VJ gifts
Kitchen Tools			1984
135 Fifth Street
Martins Flag & Decor		2017	current	Established 1895
Kavanaugh Art Gallery	Dan and Carole Kavanaugh	1996	2016	From 213 Fifth March 1996, moves to Jordan Creek Plaza, returns 2018 to former National Bank Bldg.
Iowa Gifts & Treasures		1991	1994	Merges with Raining Cats & Dogs August 1991
Horseman’s Lounge			1990	Could be a fixtures sell at this site
Classy Clothes Outlet		1988	1989
Saks on Fifth	Vickie Koder (owner), Cindy Davis, Angie Burnham		1987	Official Saks outlet
McIntyre Furniture		1946	1987	First VJ furniture store in 12 years. McIntyre Furniture occupied a 25 feet by 142 feet single story building that they built in 1946 and this building was incorporated as the northern third of the enlarged one (Express, May 2, 1946). Barney Crow was the contractor and Paul Williams did the masonry work. The new firm sold home furnishings, Mautz paints and Kelvinator appliances (Express, October 1, 1953; August 4, 1955). Property sold to Michael Orht November 1982.